


people fall in love in mysterious ways

by crosspolination



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alcohol, Comfort, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, Kissing Buddies, M/M, Slight Friends With Benefit, There is. a lot of kissing going on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-08 19:23:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11653101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crosspolination/pseuds/crosspolination
Summary: “Y’know, Noct,” Prompto begins, yawning; “we could do this anytime you feel bad.”Noctis frowns. “Get drunk?”“Kissing. Obviously, if you don’t want to, we’re not going to, but like—think of it as fuckbuddies but instead of fucking, we kiss. We’re kissbuddies.”Noctis snorts. “Kissbuddies?”“It has a ring to it, don’t you think?”He has to admit it kind of does. “Sure. Are you…” Noctis feels way too sober for someone who is absolutely wasted right now. “You’re sure?”“Absolutely,” he affirms. “You’re my best friend, Noct. I want to see you happy.”How Noctis fell in love with Prompto via kisses.





	people fall in love in mysterious ways

**Author's Note:**

> i dont know how to write kisses so this was more of an exercise for me to Learn How To Do It and, tbh, it was fun. it's an absurd idea. doesn't make sense. but i had fun
> 
> will check for mistakes when it's not 2 am :')

“I just don’t get it,” Noctis says out loud.

Prompto tilts his head slightly, turning his attention to him. He lowers down his comic-book as he addresses Noctis. “What don’t you get?”

“Kissing,” he replies, scrunching up his nose. “I don’t… I don’t get what’s the big appeal.”

“What’s got you thinking about this? You’re reading _Hellboy_ ,” Prompto laughs. “I don’t remember scenes that induce you to think about kissing in _Hellboy_.”

Noctis lowers his own comic-book, sighing. This is a bit stupid, he realizes, but he can’t stop. He’s sixteen and suddenly he’s hyper-aware of the fact every corner of his life is filled with romance. He’s not complaining, it’s cute, but… he wants to participate in it, maybe?  It’s stupid. Noctis groans internally at his own train of thought — this entire thought has appeared because he’s _bored_ and stubborn. He has never thought about kissing in his life until _right now_.

Maybe he truly is a stupid teenager. Next time he sees Ignis, he’s going to be like, “Hey, I realized I’m a stupid teenager and you were right all those times you sighed and called me _Highness_ as a synonym of _idiot_. I get you now. You can call me an idiot. I won’t fire you, we’re friends.”

Prompto, catching Noctis’ attention once more, laughs a little. “You okay over there?”

“Sorry,” Noctis says, “I zoned out.”

“Yeah, I could tell. So? Why are you thinking about this?”

A long, dragged sigh comes out of Noctis. “I’m not sure. It’s been on my mind for a while. I think it’s because Valentine’s Day is coming up.”

“Oh! Yeah, I forgot that was happening!” Prompto exclaims, sitting up on Noctis’ bed. “You got any plans?”

Noctis gives him a flat look. “Valentine’s Day? _Me_?”

“Sorry, I thought you had like, a secret partner I didn’t know about!” Prompto shrugs. “It’s not like we’re together all the time.”

Another flat look.

“We’re together _almost_ all the time,” he corrects himself, grinning sheepishly. “Yeah, sorry, should’ve assumed.”

“Dork,” Noctis tells him, fondly, but then remembers what they’re talking about. “Do you not… think about it? You have a few crushes on our classmates.”

He’s not accusing Prompto of anything, but his tone seems to be _accusing_ , like he’s mad at Prompto for having crushes. Noctis is not mad at all — that’s just who Prompto is. He sees beauty, his eyes get bright, and Noctis hears endless rambles about beautiful people that Noctis is not that interested in.

“Think about what? Valentine’s Day?”

“No. Kissing.”

Prompto flushes slightly. “I mean… sometimes? Not _specific_ people, of course,” he quickly adds, “just. In general. Like. I gave it a thought, alright.”

Noctis sighs in relief. “Cool. So it’s normal, then? To just think about it?”

“Dude, no idea!” Prompto shrugs. “I mean, we’re teens, right? That must be our hormones acting up or whatever!”

“I guess.”

Conversation over, right? Right. It should’ve been that, because Prompto had plopped back on Noctis’ bed while Noctis sat next to him, resting his back against the headboard, but of course that was not the end. Of course Noctis is annoyingly stubborn, because the thought keeps nagging at him. He feels like he’s a kid again, mad when he can’t get what he wants. But what does he want?

Ideally, he wants to get the thought out of his head. He wants someone to come down and slap his head so the thought could exit via his ear and never bother him again. Prompto is here with him, so maybe a couple of rounds playing their favorite game would help him clear up his head. That’s what he wants to say. That’s what Noctis is planning to say when he lowers down his comic-book once more, catching Prompto’s attention.

He blurts out: “We should kiss.”

Noctis’ brain stops for a little second. Hang on.

 _We should kiss_?

A bit scandalized, he turns his attention to Prompto, who’s now sitting up again with very wide-eyes, comic-book closed.

Noctis is almost as scandalized as _he_ is.  _We should kiss_ , his brain echoes over and over again. He’s the biggest idiot that has ever existed. Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prince of Lucis and King Of Being A Major Idiot.

“W-what?” asks Prompto after a moment of pure silence. “You want us to _kiss?_ ”

Well, _does he_?

“Er…” Noctis is thinking so hard his brain almost hurts. This is the most ridiculous day of his entire life. “Sure?”

“You don’t sound convinced,” Prompto points out, almost as nervous as Noctis feels. “Are you _sure_? Are. You. _Sure_?”

“If you ask me like that then I’m going to doubt myself!” Noctis rubs his eyes, suddenly very stressed. “Yes! I’m sure. I’ll leave you so we can play something or keep reading after we’re done.”

Noctis expects a rejection.

Instead, his best friend readjusts himself so he’s sitting in front of him.

Astrals. Is this happening right now? What has Noctis gotten into? Of all the times he has wanted to give in into his ridiculous teenager shenanigans, why _now_?

“You sure about this?” Prompto asks again, and he’s a bit flushed.

“ _Yes_ , Prompto, just _do it_.”

“Jeez! Calm down! You’re being pushy!”

“Sorry,” Noctis says genuinely, offering him an apologetic smile. Prompto waves it off.

He looks at Noctis like he’s lost, and honestly, Noctis feels the same way. His right hand is placed on Noctis’ shoulder, and he leans in slightly.

Noctis wants to hold his breath until he dies, because he’s sure his heart has never beaten faster than right now. Prompto keeps hesitating, keeps leaning in and out and _giggling_ like he’s not about to kiss Noctis, but _still_ , Noctis can’t do it first. His palms are sweaty, his heart is beating slightly faster, and Prompto is _so close_.

“Ah, screw it,” Prompto says, and for one moment Noctis thinks he means he’s not going to kiss him but _then_ —

He presses his lips against Noctis’ for a brief moment and Noctis’ mind goes blank. It doesn’t last at all, because Prompto pulls back before Noctis can process what’s going on.

“You’re happy now?” Prompto asks.

Noctis blinks, staring at Prompto like it was the first time he’s ever seen him. He’s half-sure he’s not really breathing right now. It was so _quick_ , so brief, but Noctis swears he can still feel Prompto’s lips pressing against his. Warm and soft, and it definitely didn’t last enough.

Wait, what?

“Uh,” Noctis responds after a little while, “Yeah, thanks Prompto.”

“You’re welcome, I guess,” Prompto shrugs again. He tries to look so uninterested, but his blush is really betraying him. Noctis wonders if he’s as red as he feels he is. “Because of this you owe me a round at King’s Knight.”

Noctis grins at him. “Oh, you’re on.”

**ii.**

Alcohol brings out a Noctis that he’s not too proud of. He’s not careful with his words when he’s drunk, and he’s also not careful with his thoughts, so it’s a good thing he’s only gotten drunk with Prompto. Prompto has been there for him even when Noctis accidentally broke his pants at school and his boxers were showing, deciding to walk behind Noctis until Ignis came to pick him up so no one would notice his fish-patterned boxers. Prompto is truly the definition of best friend, so of course he’s going to deal with his sorry drunk ass.

“Royalty sucks except my dad,” Noctis says out loud. Oh no. There we go. The _oversharing_. It has begun. “I don’t want to be king, Prompto.”

“Then don’t!”

“Perfect. Hang on a sec, lemme tell my dad right now that my best friend told me to not be king so I won’t be one.”

Prompto snorts, taking another sip of his beer. “For real, dude, I’m sorry that you have to be king someday.”

He slumps down further on the sofa. “I’m out of high school,” he begins, “which means my focus is gonna be more on the… _royal_ things. I don’t want that.”

His best friend hums a little. Noctis looks up to him, sitting next to him on the sofa with his cheeks flushed thanks to the alcohol. His freckles pop out so much when he blushes, Noctis finds it hilarious and a bit adorable. Mostly hilarious. But also, mostly adorable. Whatever. He’s drunk, and he can’t deny Prompto is good-looking. Anyone with decent eyesight could see that.

“Then let’s pretend you’re not the prince for a sec,” Prompto proposes after a minute of silence where Noctis counted his freckles, lost count, and re-started about thirty times. “Who would you be?”

Noctis frowns a bit. “I already don’t feel like a prince when I’m with you. You make me feel normal.”

Prompto slides his whole body down on the sofa, until half his body is on the sofa and the other half is on the floor.

“Prompto?”

“I’m melting because you’re sweet,” Prompto responds, sliding down all the way. He’s on the floor now, laughing. “Bro. Don’t get sappy on me.”

“It’s true, though. Love you, man.”

Prompto raises his two thumbs up. “Me too. Back to the game – who would you be?”

Noctis thinks about it way too hard. Maybe it’s the alcohol already making his brain go foggy. He sips his beer again, but as he’s a fucking idiot, he spills some of it all over his face, making Prompto howl with laughter as Noctis rushes to wash his face.

That makes him feel slightly better. Not too drunk.

Prompto is still on the floor, laughing. Noctis nudges him with his foot, and instead of sitting down on the sofa, he joins Prompto on the floor.

“I would probably be a lawyer,” Noctis says. “Like. A cool lawyer with my wife and my four kids that I must raise with values and morals about justice.”

“A wife and children? Interesting.”

“Obviously in this fantasy you’re my wife and our children are our dogs.”

Prompto laughs incredulously. He rolls over to face Noctis. “Four dogs?”

“Unless you want more, my beautiful husband.”

He’s redder now, and Noctis _knows_ this is the alcohol. He would never be this bold with Prompto, or be this borderline flirty guy with him. Prompto gets up on his knees, and before Noctis asks him where he’s going, he hovers over Noctis, trapping him beneath his arms and his legs. Noctis smirks a little. “Oh?”

“I want six dogs,” Prompto smiles amusedly. “And I also want a big house.”

“Of course. That’s why I work as a lawyer. They make money.”

“You know, I heard lawyers kiss their husbands. Just a fact I heard!”

Noctis’ heart starts beating so intensely he wonders if Prompto can hear it. “Maybe _you_ should kiss _me_.”

He’s reminded, briefly, of the time when he asked Prompto to kiss him because he was a stupid teenager with doubts. Now he’s asked him because he’s _drunk_ , and his best friend is adorable sometimes, and…

A wicked grin spreads across Prompto’s face as he lifts up one hand and strokes Noctis’ cheek with gentleness. Noctis shivers a little. He’s not sure how to react, because he’s _frozen_ , staring up at this beautiful— _beautiful?_ —boy on top of him looking down to his eyes like he’s the most precious thing ever, and Noctis is short-circuiting. He’s dying a little. He’s also a bit short of breath. He’s a bit short of everything right now.

Prompto leans down, brushing his nose against Noctis’, giggling playfully as his hand comes up to his neck. Against his will, Noctis shivers again. _Astrals_ , does he want to feel Prompto’s hands on him all the time. Wait, _what_ —

“Eskimo kisses?” Noctis asks. “Really?”

Prompto giggles again. He’s so close, his breath tickles his lips, and oh how Noctis wants to kiss him.

He doesn’t, though, because Prompto finally leans in and captures his lips, and it’s _familiar_ and _strange_ at the same time. Unlike the first time this happened, Noctis kisses him back. He brings his hands up and tangles it on Prompto’s hair, relishing at how soft it is and how _soft_ his best friends’ lips are. Prompto’s basically on top of him now, kissing him as if he’s making up for that one time two years ago, breaking the kiss only to pay attention to Noctis’ jawline, his neck, his cheeks—

Noctis is dead.

Officially dead.

He mutters Prompto’s name over and over again, getting him to laugh against his neck, and Noctis is feeling a mix of ‘this is too much’ and feeling like he needs _more_. Prompto goes back up, giving him one more kiss – slow and gentle – and then he pulls away.

Noctus feels flushed and helpless. He’s never felt like this before – this _vulnerability_ , this honest sincerity that the man above him is his best friend and Noctis would do absolutely anything for him, not because he has to, but because he _wants_ to.

“Prompto,” he chokes out, and it’s all he can say. No other words come out. He hopes ‘Prompto’ is a good sign to let him know how wrecked he is right now.

He’s dead right now, but he also feels alive, and he feels like floating, and _Astrals_ he is _so_ drunk right now.

Prompto gets up, lending him a hand, and smiling softly as he pulls Noctis on his feet, quick to hold him against him when he’s too drunk to move.

“Noct,” he replies to Noctis’ sentence from earlier, all gentle and nice. Noctis can’t take this anymore. He just wants Ramuh to strike him down with lightning. “You okay now?”

Noctis nods because he can’t trust himself to speak.

“ ‘Kay, then,” Prompto grins, “let’s get you to bed.”

“You’re staying here, right?” Noctis asks before he can stop himself.

“Of course!”

He doesn’t really focus on their journey to get to Noctis’ bedroom, since Noctis is too focused on their closeness and how he still really wants to kiss Prompto, but he _won’t_. It was a one-time thing only, just to make him feel better.

They somehow manage to get into bed.

“Y’know, Noct,” Prompto begins, yawning; “we could do this anytime you feel bad.”

Noctis frowns. “Get drunk?”

“Kissing.”

He freezes. Is he serious?

“You look so much more relaxed right now,” Prompto continues when Noctis doesn’t reply. “Obviously, if you don’t want to, we’re not going to, but like—think of it as fuckbuddies but instead of fucking, we kiss. We’re kissbuddies.”

Noctis snorts. “Kissbuddies?”

“It has a ring to it, don’t you think?”

He has to admit it kind of does. “Sure. Are you…” Noctis feels way too sober for someone who is absolutely wasted right now. “You’re sure?”

“Absolutely,” he affirms. “You’re my best friend, Noct. I want to see you happy.”

Now _Prompto_ sounds too serious for someone who is absolutely wasted too, and who ten minutes ago, could not stop giggling during kisses.

Noctis flushes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now go to sleep, okay? It was a long day!”

How could he say _no_ to sleep?

 

The next day, Prompto opens the door to Noctis’ bedroom carrying a tray of food. “Good morning, kissbuddy!”

Noctis’ eyes open wide. Astrals. Last night _did_ happen.

They’re kissbuddies now.

_Oh, by the Six._

 

**iii.**

“Stop groaning, Noct,” Prompto says, “your throat is going to get hurt like that.”

Noctis groans louder but then he starts coughing violently, much to Prompto’s amusement. “Shut it, Prompto.”

“Fine, fine,” Prompto says, but he’s still laughing. Worst best friend ever.  “Cheer up a little; you’re going on a _trip_! To _Galdin Quay_! Isn’t that amazing?”

“It is, yeah,” and Noctis should be really excited. He’s going as a guest to taste all the foods _ever_ because it’s some annual tradition or something. Noctis didn’t pay that much attention at the meeting — he zoned back in when he heard the word _food_ being thrown around often. “Still, though, it’s cold. I wanna stay inside.”

Truth be told, he’s realizing he wants to stay with Prompto. Not only because it’s _cold_ , but because… he’d miss him? He’s dragging this goodbye more than he should. He grabbed his coat and his bags about thirty minutes ago. He should be heading to the Citadel right now so he could be taken to Galdin Quay. And yet, he had managed to make a big amount of discussions with Prompto to pass time, and he’s not really sure he wants to go anymore.

He’s been standing at the front of Prompto’s door for thirty minutes now. He doesn’t want to go to Galdin Quay, not when Prompto’s house is super cozy and there’s a newly bought game waiting to be tried.

“You big baby,” Prompto laughs, “You have like thirty coats on.”

“It’s _cold_ , okay?”

“Wait,” he says, staring at Noctis oddly. He runs back to his bedroom and comes back carrying a yellow scarf on his hands. Both tips of the scarf have a little Chocobo on them, and it’s beyond adorable. “I know you have to wear all _black_ but you need to cover your neck! Nobody would want you catching a cold, right?”

“Right,” Noctis says, laughing when Prompto immediately throws the scarf around his neck. “H-hey now! Go slower! You’re going to kill me if you keep touching my neck with that strength!”

“Maybe that’s my intention,” Prompto winks, but then he gets to actually wrap the scarf around his neck correctly. “There we go.”

Noctis looks down to the scarf. It’s a bit funny to see how strangely the yellow scarf blends in with the rest of his black clothes. However — Prompto’s hands are still on his neck, his fingertips caressing the back of it. Noctis shivers and it’s not because he’s cold.

He knows Prompto wants a kiss when his face is close to his and when he goes a bit quiet, so Noctis braces himself for it to happen. Prompto kisses him, his hands moving to cup Noctis’ face. His lips move slowly, compared to all their other kisses — because the _kissbuddy_ thing still is _A Thing_ — that are brief or filled of fun. This is making Noctis breathless. He pulls away momentarily, resting his forehead against Prompto’s. Prompto leans back in after a moment, giving him short kisses, each one softer than the last, and then he pulls away completely.

There is a cheeky grin adorning his face, as if he’s aware of what he’s doing to Noctis. “So you don’t miss me too much!” is his explanation for the kisses. He turns Noctis around, basically pushing him out of the door. “Come on, don’t be late!”

“Fine! Fine! Stop pushing me!” Noctis says, practically grasping onto the door to not fall down the street. “I’ll see you in a week.”

“I promise to not play the new game!”

Noctis smiles, “You’re the best.”

Maybe he shouldn’t have said that, because it earns him an extra peck on his lips, and how is Noctis supposed to go to the Citadel when his head is thinking about his best friend?

His lips tingle a little.

Why does he want to turn back and go kiss him again?

 

Tasting food is fun. Galdin Quay looks absolutely stunning with the snow making everything more beautiful, and at night, he takes a pic of it to show Prompto. He makes sure to add a nice filter, because he _does_ listen to Prompto when he talks about photography and he has kept some of his knowledge for his own use.

Prompto texts back excitedly, asking him to take more pics from different angles, and even though he’s freezing to death he walks through the snow to capture what Prompto wants. The excited caps-lock and overuse of exclamation points in Prompto’s texts make him smile, suddenly forgetting he’s in the middle of _snow_.

He misses Prompto.

There are still six days to go, but after the tenth time he realized he wanted to tell Prompto something only to notice they weren’t together, Noctis began to realize how he missed him. He’s never realized how often he and Prompto are together until right now, when Noctis realizes he’s been silent most of the day until someone urges him to speak.

The thing is — Prompto’s special. He doesn’t force Noctis to engage in conversation or to be talkative. He’s aware of how much of an introvert Noctis really is, and he doesn’t mind going on long periods of time without talking. Noctis can’t remember how many times he has mindlessly read comic-books or scrolled down his phone on his lounge while Prompto was on his room, not minding Noctis’ sudden disinterest in not talking to anybody. Right now, it’s easy to talk to other people, but then they expect Noctis to _keep talking_ , keep them _interested_ , and it’s already drained all of Noctis’ energy out of his body.

Talking to Prompto as he heads back to the hotel, though, it seems to be charging him. He doesn’t drain Noctis. He energizes him. Prompto’s like a pillar of support for him, and Noctis loves him — of course he does. Maybe the lady on a cute ponytail even though it was freezing was nice to him, the young man with brown eyes had a kind voice, or maybe everybody he met today was gentle and kind to him, but… they’re not Prompto. There’s easiness to Prompto that he loves — he loves his personality, his energy, his attentive and caring side and his dorky side, he loves the freckles across his body and the two moles on each side of his arms, he loves his eyes, the softness on his hair and how his lips feel against his own—

Noctis stops walking.

So, how much of that train of thought was acceptable?

He knows he loves his friends, that’s what you _do,_ but this—

There’s a blush creeping up on his cheeks when he realizes just how much he loves Prompto, his brain filling up with images of him, and his voice, and his scent, and… _fuck_. This is not the best revelation to have outside your hotel room when you’re freezing on a hallway.

He enters his room, getting out of his jackets, ready to take a long hot shower and not think about anything, ever.

Except he _doesn’t_ and he ends up thinking about Prompto, Prompto, and Prompto. His brain is almost mocking him at this point, almost like saying, “Ha, loser. You’ve been in love with him this whole time!”

 

Stepping out of the shower, he checks his phone, where Prompto’s texts are waiting to be answered and it’s such a big feeling forming inside Noctis — panic, fondness, desperation, and just… love?  

Noctis groans out loud. Why did he have to realize _that_?

 

**iv.**

Prompto kisses him when he finally goes back to Insomnia.

It’s short and chaste, with Prompto’s hands resting on Noctis’ hips, and then his face is being peppered with kisses. Warm, warm, warm.

“Welcome back,” Prompto says when he breaks away. “Missed you.”

 _I love you so much,_ Noctis says internally. “It’s good to be home,” is what comes out instead, and Noctis gives in into the temptation of kissing his forehead. “I… missed you, too.”

He wonders if now that he’s aware of how he feels is affecting how he thinks, because Prompto’s surprised reaction starts to make Noctis wonder if there’s a deeper meaning to it. Then, Prompto slaps his arm playfully and drags him to play the new videogame they bought, and it’s all back to normal.

Or as normal as you can be when you look at your best friend and all you can think is _I love you I love you I love you I love you_.

**v.**

“You’re quiet today,” Noctis says, voice barely above a whisper. It’s quiet in the little hotel they decided to stay in for tonight.

“Oh,” Prompto replies, quietly. “My bad.”

“No, it’s okay.” Noctis leaves his own bed to sit down next to Prompto. “So… you… everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s cool.”

Noctis licks his lips. It’s definitely not cool. He wonders what the best way to comfort him is, or the best way to try to let him know he’s _there_ for him, and all Noctis comes up with is putting his arm around Prompto. Prompto doesn’t seem to mind, though, as he rests his head against Noctis’ shoulder.

Noctis squeezes Prompto’s shoulder. “What’s on your mind, Prompto?”

There’s silence. And then, voice breaking, “You didn’t tell me about the prophecy.”

Oh, _fuck_.

“Prompto…”

“No, no,” Prompto says quickly. “I’m not mad. I’m…” he takes a deep breath. “ _Noct_. What’s going to happen to _you_?”

_Well, most likely? I’m gonna die._

“There’s… a chance the prophecy isn’t that accurate,” Noctis explains, because it’s true. Like, a 0,5% chance that the prophecy can be _wrong_ , but… “I didn’t tell you because I…want to think I’ll make it out alive.”

Prompto takes a deep breath. Noctis can see how hard he’s trying to not cry, which in turn breaks _his_ heart. His head leaves Noctis’ shoulder as he turns around to stare at him.

“And what was I supposed to do if I didn’t find out now?” Prompto asks. “One day my best friend will just be _dead_ and I’ll have to deal with it?”

Noctis winces. “Prompto—”

“I don’t—” another deep breath. “I don’t want to think about a world without you, Noct.”

“And I don’t want to think about leaving _you_ ,” Noctis replies without missing a beat. “I’m sorry for not telling you, but I just don’t want to think about _dying_ when I’ve got so much left to do and to say—” he stops himself before the sentence gets more depressing. “I’m sorry.”

Prompto rubs his eyes. “It’s okay, I get it. I’m overreacting a bit, sorry,” he apologizes again. Noctis reaches out and grabs his hands, and Prompto seems to welcome the contact entirely. “Just… sucks. That’s an understatement. I now realized I need to tell you everything right now because I don’t know when this prophecy is going to take you away.”

Noctis smiles, but it’s not really a happy one. “You don’t know if it’s gonna take me away for sure.”

“Yeah, yeah, still, better do it and not regret it.” Prompto stares at him, interlacing their fingers. “I’ve been scared out of my mind to tell you this, but I’m so in love with you, dude.” He doesn’t give Noctis time to continue. “Like, you’re my best friend, and _gods_ has our kissing thing made my entire life be better and _hell_ at the same thing, but there. Also I think your feet are smelly and you should change your socks often, and I think your bedhead is cute, and also you’re a loud chewer and that bothers me to no end.” Prompto laughs a little. “That’s all I can remember right now.”

Noctis blinks. “That was a lot of information.”

“Yeah, I expected to say these gradually but, y’know, our time is tight.”

He laughs. “Sorry about my feet and my chewing. Can’t help that.”

Prompto shrugs. “It’s okay, I just had to say it.”

The rest of the confession is still there, though. Prompto’s in love with him. _Prompto Argentum_ , his best friend who Noctis has been in love for two years now, is reciprocating those feelings. His _kissbuddy_.

Kissbuddy, Noctis thinks comically. That’s the best solution he has to respond to Prompto’s confession.

Noctis is not as slow as he expected himself to be, because suddenly he’s leaning over Prompto, making him lie down on the bed, his eyes big and his cheeks flushed. He’s never had Prompto beneath him before, looking exactly the way Noctis feels whenever _he_ pins him down — vulnerable, sensitive. He wants to engrain this image into his memory forever. With this in mind, he leans down and brushes his lips against Prompto’s. He adds a bit more of pressure, and _gods_ , he wonders why he was always so scared of starting the kisses himself.

The sounds Prompto makes are music to his ears. Noctis breaks the kiss to focus on making his way down, kissing his neck softly. Prompto moans, but then, he starts giggling.

“I’m ticklish there,” Prompto says, breathless, eyes closed in pure bliss.

“Oh, are you?”

“ _Yes_.”

Noctis kisses his neck more determined now, making Prompto squirm and laugh. “ _Noct! Nooo_!”

He stops, because now he’s laughing too. He’s on top of Prompto, face buried on his neck, attempting to calm down from this entire emotional rollercoaster.

They stay quiet for a while when they calm down.

“I’m in love with you,” Noctis says quietly. “And no prophecy can take that away from me.”

Prompto brings up his hands and puts them around Noctis. He drags Noctis to the side, and they both readjust themselves so they’re facing each other. Prompto’s eyes are soft, gentle. Noctis could stare at them all night and not get tired of it.

“Man, I hope the prophecy fucks off,” Prompto says, cupping his cheek with his hand. “I’d like to keep you here, thank you very much Astrals.”

He wonders for a second what it would be like to leave Prompto behind — to leave his friends behind — and the thought terrifies him so much he brings himself closer to Prompto. “I hope so too,” he says, searching solace on Prompto’s arms. He finds it as they wrap around him, followed by Prompto kissing his forehead. The heat from earlier is gone. “Anything else you want to tell me?”

“You look cute with your Behemoth Jacket on, I kinda wanna wear it, I kinda just wanna see _you_ wear it,” Prompto hums. His voice sounds like it’s going to break, but Noctis doesn’t mention it. It’s okay. Noctis also feels like that. “I want you to eat healthy because, you know how I love you? Yeah. I don’t love it when you fart. It’s awful.”

“Wow,” Noctis deadpans, looking up to him. “Rude.”

“Anything _you_ want to say?”

He does.

Gods, he has so much to say.

But adopting that kind of thinking means he’s giving himself up to the prophecy, and he’s better than that. So instead of saying everything — _I love your freckles, sometimes it’s annoying when you sing all the time but it’s still endearing_ , _sometimes I hear you talking to yourself and it’s both really cute and also you know you can talk to me_ , _your hair is soft_ — he settles for: “I love you,” followed by a kiss.

It’s not nearly enough, but it’ll do.

**vi.**

Noctis should be dead.

He wakes up on the throne, with an awful back pain, but someone is kneeled in front of him and their fists are on his knees, and Noctis can feel two other people in the room as well.

“Noct?” Noctis blinks. Prompto is looking up to him, his eyes filled with tears, shaking a little. “ _Noct_?”

Noctis stares at him like he’s never seen him before. “Prompto—”

There’s not much room for talking. Prompto jolts up, hugging him desperately, as if fearing Noctis will die for real if he doesn’t prove he’s actually there. “H-holy shit.”

Noctis is a bit disoriented, to tell the truth. He was dead a few seconds ago. He saw his own ring disappear with him following short.

“Guys?” Noctis asks, staring at all of them with wide eyes. “What…”

“We don’t know,” Gladio says, choked up, hands clenched on a fist, “we… you were just… here when we arrived.”

“The sun,” Noctis states in a desperate tone, grasping Prompto’s hands. “Is the sun out? Has it risen?”

“Why not see it for yourself, your Majesty?” asks Ignis, who looks like he just finished crying. “Can you stand up, Noct?”

Prompto helps him stand up, and Noctis leans on for support the entire time. Gladio helps him go down the stairs of the throne room, and he knows his friends are talking, but his brain is racing. He just needs confirmation that he actually did it. Once he knows, his brain is going to calm down, and—

His eyes are hurt by the light.

He squints his eyes, and—

“The sun,” Noctis breathes out. “Dawn has come.”

The relief that washes over him is so big, Noctis stumbles down, falling to the floor and dragging Prompto with him. He puts his head on his hands, sighing. “Holy crap.”

A few seconds later, he’s being squeezed into a hug by multiple pair of arms.

“Welcome back, Your Majesty,” Gladio says, bringing all four of them closer. “Don’t ever scare the crap outta us like that again.”

“I’ll try my best,” Noctis says weakly.

He was supposed to be dead.

He’s _alive_.

 

Prompto comes up to him hours later, in the afternoon.

He doesn’t say anything. He leans up and kisses Noctis softly, and Noctis has to remind himself how to do it. It feels like it’s the first time he’s done this, and yet, there’s the incredible familiarity telling him that doing this with Prompto is as easy as breathing. His hands rest on Prompto’s waist, and he loses track of time, reconnecting.

“I’ve got so much to tell you,” says Prompto when they break apart.

Noctis smiles, remembering ten years ago, memories flooding in of all the things he’s always wanted to say to Prompto.

He gives him a good look, and he realizes that he’s as in love as he was twelve years ago. “I have so much that I want to say, as well. First…” the smile turns into a grin. “The prophecy really didn’t take me away.”

“Almost did, though. Terrified me.”

“Yeah, but I’m here.”

“You _are_.”

Noctis squeezes his hand. “Do you want to take a walk and catch up?”

“Absolutely,” he replies. “But first…”

He leans back in, giving him a quick, chaste kiss. “Welcome back, Noct. I missed you.”

Noctis hugs him.

“It’s good to be home. _I love you_ , and I missed you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> i wasnt gonna mention the post time skip but i read that 'see you tomorrow' thingy from the ffxv manga and honest to god im still so sad over it so i decided rewrite it because i cant stop crying  
> [tumblr](http://crosspolination.tumblr.com/)  
> [twitter](http://twitter.com/joshriku/)  
> 


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